First smartphone for child
Discussion
Hi all,
My son is now nine years old and will be starting middle school this September, the first time his school hasn’t been at the end of his road.
He lives with his mother (we’re separated) and the agreement we all had was that he could have his first mobile phone before he starts the new school. I’m going to take care of it all, and I have added a cheap extra sim-only deal to my own package for him to use. So the task now is to buy him a phone.
Firstly, I’d rather buy him a new handset than a pre-owned one. I’m also keen to buy a smartphone that I have some degree of control over, ie something that can have parental controls added that I can set and perhaps even administer remotely.
The obvious answer is to buy him an iPhone, as I’m fully integrated into the Apple world and this means the handset can be added to my own family account. My son has an iPad which he is confident using, and so it wouldn’t take him long to learn the ropes on the phone. Plus I could track his whereabouts through the ‘Find My’ facility on my own devices, and (I suspect) administer his own permissions easily too.
The issue of course is cost, and a new iPhone is a pricey item. I can buy a new iPhone 7 for around £250 and that’s a device that’s probably in the autumn of its years in terms of official support. He’s a sensible boy but he loves outdoor play and I’m resigned to the fact that the phone is going to take some hammer at times, and might need replacing/repairing at some stage.
An Android phone can be bought for a fraction of that cost, with a decent model being available for £100 or so. This is much easier on the wallet, but I worry that I won’t have the same level of control (restrictions, location tracking, etc) that I do with Apple. Plus, Android is another system he will have to learn if I go down this route.
So, any suggestions or help would be most welcome.
My son is now nine years old and will be starting middle school this September, the first time his school hasn’t been at the end of his road.
He lives with his mother (we’re separated) and the agreement we all had was that he could have his first mobile phone before he starts the new school. I’m going to take care of it all, and I have added a cheap extra sim-only deal to my own package for him to use. So the task now is to buy him a phone.
Firstly, I’d rather buy him a new handset than a pre-owned one. I’m also keen to buy a smartphone that I have some degree of control over, ie something that can have parental controls added that I can set and perhaps even administer remotely.
The obvious answer is to buy him an iPhone, as I’m fully integrated into the Apple world and this means the handset can be added to my own family account. My son has an iPad which he is confident using, and so it wouldn’t take him long to learn the ropes on the phone. Plus I could track his whereabouts through the ‘Find My’ facility on my own devices, and (I suspect) administer his own permissions easily too.
The issue of course is cost, and a new iPhone is a pricey item. I can buy a new iPhone 7 for around £250 and that’s a device that’s probably in the autumn of its years in terms of official support. He’s a sensible boy but he loves outdoor play and I’m resigned to the fact that the phone is going to take some hammer at times, and might need replacing/repairing at some stage.
An Android phone can be bought for a fraction of that cost, with a decent model being available for £100 or so. This is much easier on the wallet, but I worry that I won’t have the same level of control (restrictions, location tracking, etc) that I do with Apple. Plus, Android is another system he will have to learn if I go down this route.
So, any suggestions or help would be most welcome.
Bacon Is Proof said:
Get him a cheap Android (I'm a big Motorola fan) and if he looks after that you can "reward" him with an iPhone at a later date. By that time he could also be chipping in from his paper round money. 
This, or a cheaper, older iPhone. That was the agreement with our eldest son. He had one of my old phones and if he could look after it for an agreed period - not lose it, not break it or run up charges somehow, then he'd get the phone he really wanted. Saying that his 'new' phone was a refurb one.Loads of first time young phone owners (even at secondary school) seem to lose/damage them.
We used to regularly bounce of his data limit - even 'now' he does and that's with 10GB for £10 per month. Unlimited calls and unlimited texts, but they don't call or send texts!
Sterillium said:
"OurPact" is a popular parental supervision app.
Also, I had an iPhone in one of these cases for a couple of years, it got dropped, dented, dunked, kicked and generally hammered and still came out in literally mint condition at the end!
That looks the most amazing and uncool thing in the world, if that doesn't drive someone to accidentally lose it I dont know what will. Also, I had an iPhone in one of these cases for a couple of years, it got dropped, dented, dunked, kicked and generally hammered and still came out in literally mint condition at the end!
My son has had a Moto G6 Play for the last couple of years and is happy with it. I don't like it as I'm in the Apple world so it takes me an age to work stuff out on it. Has had some updates to Android, not sure it'll get any/many more now.
With the new SE, I'll move him to iPhone at some point so everyone's are the same.
As for monitoring and parental controls, I use Google Family Link on my iPhone to see his phone and for him to request app installs for approval. Seems to work quite well and also has location tracking.
With the new SE, I'll move him to iPhone at some point so everyone's are the same.
As for monitoring and parental controls, I use Google Family Link on my iPhone to see his phone and for him to request app installs for approval. Seems to work quite well and also has location tracking.
I'm a big Linux/Android user but If the OP is using the Apple ecosystem then an older iPhone (one that is up to date with updates) would be the best way, that way he can then keep track of usage and where about's, guessing the Apple ecosystem allows you to control what can be installed etc?
Missus has just tasked me with locking down the xbox and her Windows 10 laptop for her 8 year old to use, quite impressed that you can set apps/programs to have "0 time" on them so they have to request access to them. Stops him sitting on command and conquer when hes supposed to be doing BBC Bitesize.
Missus has just tasked me with locking down the xbox and her Windows 10 laptop for her 8 year old to use, quite impressed that you can set apps/programs to have "0 time" on them so they have to request access to them. Stops him sitting on command and conquer when hes supposed to be doing BBC Bitesize.
He's 9, it's going to get dropped & bashed so buy him a refurbished iPhone for £130 & put it in a bomb proof case: then you won't feel so bad when it gets trashed. Don't forget he's got small hands & pockets so don't buy him a big phone.
https://www.musicmagpie.co.uk/store/category/mobil...
https://www.musicmagpie.co.uk/store/category/mobil...
My daughter is almost 11.
We bought her a basic (non-smart) phone which she uses to stay in contact with friends and us. Not sure why she would need a smart phone?
She uses a tablet at home to WhatsApp, zoom, or whatever she needs to do with her friends or streaming video. We get to keep a closer eye on her on-line activity and there is no risk of an expensive phone getting ruined, destroyed or nicked too. No getting distracted by the phone whilst at grand parents ( not now obviously), dinner table, school etc. either.
It will obviously change, but we are actively resisting smart phones having seen friends replacing their kids iPhone whatever after it was nicked and then smashed on the way home from school.
Mike
We bought her a basic (non-smart) phone which she uses to stay in contact with friends and us. Not sure why she would need a smart phone?
She uses a tablet at home to WhatsApp, zoom, or whatever she needs to do with her friends or streaming video. We get to keep a closer eye on her on-line activity and there is no risk of an expensive phone getting ruined, destroyed or nicked too. No getting distracted by the phone whilst at grand parents ( not now obviously), dinner table, school etc. either.
It will obviously change, but we are actively resisting smart phones having seen friends replacing their kids iPhone whatever after it was nicked and then smashed on the way home from school.
Mike
What his mates have !
My son had an iphone in readiness for secondary school same thoughts around eco system etc. - day one and he wanted an android as it was what his friends had.
obv. schools and children vary but paraphrasing slightly "apple and facebook are for boomers and grannies"
My son had an iphone in readiness for secondary school same thoughts around eco system etc. - day one and he wanted an android as it was what his friends had.
obv. schools and children vary but paraphrasing slightly "apple and facebook are for boomers and grannies"
A 9 year old has no business owning a smartphone. I can reccomend the very basic Nokia 3310 (new version) same as its predecessor it's pretty much bullet proof, it has the ability to get on the web but you can overcome that by ensuring whatever sim you go for has zero data. The web is not suitable for children under the age of secondary school year 7 without supervision.
Roverload said:
A 9 year old has no business owning a smartphone. I can reccomend the very basic Nokia 3310 (new version) same as its predecessor it's pretty much bullet proof, it has the ability to get on the web but you can overcome that by ensuring whatever sim you go for has zero data. The web is not suitable for children under the age of secondary school year 7 without supervision.
And you have no business telling someone else what they can and can't buy for their children!OP. iPhone is the answer if you have one. We got ours the original SE 18 months ago. It's still going strong and is easy to set up and monitor with prenatal controls.
PanicBuyingBogRoll said:
Roverload said:
A 9 year old has no business owning a smartphone. I can reccomend the very basic Nokia 3310 (new version) same as its predecessor it's pretty much bullet proof, it has the ability to get on the web but you can overcome that by ensuring whatever sim you go for has zero data. The web is not suitable for children under the age of secondary school year 7 without supervision.
And you have no business telling someone else what they can and can't buy for their children!OP. iPhone is the answer if you have one. We got ours the original SE 18 months ago. It's still going strong and is easy to set up and monitor with prenatal controls.
Thanks for all the comments.
With regards his friends, a good number already have phones and they are mostly iPhones. He lives in a relatively affluent area and there are parents who will happily spend £800 on a handset for their 7-year-old...
...I am not one of those parents! I’d actively try to avoid doing something like that, but at the same time I don’t want to embarrass him with something that shows him up in front of his friends, as I’m aware of how important some things are at school.
Sounds like I might have to go against my instincts and buy a 2nd hand iPhone (or a new 7 and a mega case).
Thanks again all.
With regards his friends, a good number already have phones and they are mostly iPhones. He lives in a relatively affluent area and there are parents who will happily spend £800 on a handset for their 7-year-old...
...I am not one of those parents! I’d actively try to avoid doing something like that, but at the same time I don’t want to embarrass him with something that shows him up in front of his friends, as I’m aware of how important some things are at school.
Sounds like I might have to go against my instincts and buy a 2nd hand iPhone (or a new 7 and a mega case).
Thanks again all.
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